Whispers From Below

Chapter 4

The door unlocked and Rayna came rushing inside closing the door behind her, she hugged onto me tightly

"I am so sorry, so so sorry."

I cried into her shoulder for a while. When I pulled away she took my hands to look at them, they were not as swollen anymore, but still had bruises, welts and small slices. Taking out bandages from her robes she started wrapping my hands up.

"I promise you, you will get out of here. I promise you will have a better life Lily. Just please hang on a bit longer."

For the day she stayed with me, she would leave to get me some food and when coming back I could see June peeking in from the hallway frowning.

"You're going to have to say sorry to the boy tomorrow in class." Rayna held melting ice cubes onto my knuckles, the water dripping between my fingers.

"Is he being told to say sorry to me?"

She hung her head "I am not sure Lil, though I will tell you, you gave him a mean black eye." She smirked and winked at me, it did make me smile and I was a bit happy to hear that.

The next morning I did what I was told and went into class to apologize. The boy's eye was completely swollen shut and engulfed in black, blue coloring. I was kinda proud of myself for being able to hurt him that bad.

The next few days I behaved and what I was told, my hands still in so much pain, my eye burning. June and I did not talk about it, we acted like nothing happened.

My mind was taking over though, I was walking on eggshells here. I did not want to be here at all anymore.

So I decided the next morning leaving for school, I would leave and never come back. I rather die in the forest or by a essentia user than be here.

Instead of my books in my bag I stuffed clothes, not having a clear opportunity to get food from the kitchen so going to Foúrnos would be the only option.

Squeezing between the line of people inside. I saw my targets, two loaves of sourdough. They were too easy to grab, one shoved into my bag the other under my arm and I ran straight out. Right when I got outside assuming to be safe, the back of my dress was caught.

Frozen and turned to see Ryland. Covered in flour, his sandy blonde hair wrapped messily in a bun. "Aren't you supposed to be in class, little dove?" My body started shaking and my face got really hot.

"I never liked school either, how about you come in the back and help me out, to also pay for the dough that you're hiding under your arms and in your bag."

I bit my lip and agreed with him, quietly going inside.

He showed me how he makes the dough into bread and how to knead it. Not being very good at it with my hands still being in pain it still left me smiling and laughing all day with him. He did not ask questions about why I was not in school, or what happened to my hands, we just had fun.

That is until Sister Nan came in, all huffed up "Lily why on earth are you here young lady and not in school?!"

I looked at him wide eyed to try and get him to help me as my heart went into my throat, he jutted his chin out for me to go speak with her. Defeated, I walked out feeling like a dog with its tail between its legs.

Looking down at my feet and mumbling "I skipped school today."

Her foot tapped rapidly, "look at me when you are speaking and talk clearly and properly."

She spoke rough and stern, looking up at her in fear, "I skipped school today Sister Nan."

Her face in a scowl, "I know you are having a hard time in class with the others but you cannot skip out on your lessons, you just have to ignore them. When we get back home you are scrubbing the kitchen and writing sentences on the black board we may even have to see the priest again do you understand me"

A shiver of fear went up my spine "Yes Sister, Sorry." I said softly and ashamed.

"That doesn't explain why you are here." She looked up at Ryland, somewhat annoyed. I got nervous if he would tell her about the bread I stole from him, if he did I would for sure be seeing the priest tonight.

"I saw she was having a rough day and decided to help her out on that, it was my fault for her skipping half of the day."

She pointed a long bony finger at him, "you have no right to practically kidnap this girl, you will be blamed if she fails out of school."

Wow she was overreacting, it was one day. He scowled at her "how about she works for me after classes."

I looked at him with a surprised smile, he looked down at me, "but she has to attend school, as well as do her homework. I can make sure she gets back in time for her chores as well."

The nun looked between us and nodded, "hard work will do her good, maybe you can control her. Now common Lily." She grabbed my arm pulling me out of the bakery.

"You start tomorrow Lil!" Ryland called out to us.

I did not have to scrub the floors or see the priest, yet I did have to write 'I will not skip school' 150 times on the chalkboard. My fingers and hand cramping dropping the chalk every 2 lines as they went numb. Though not really caring about it since I was beyond excited to start something new with Ryland.